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Background. DSM-5 proposes an Attenuated Psychosis Syndrome (APS) for further investigation, based upon the Attenuated Positive Symptom Syndrome (APSS) in the Structured Interview for Psychosis-Risk Syndromes (SIPS). SIPS Unusual Thought Content, Disorganized Communication and Total Disorganization scores predicted progression to psychosis in a 2015 NAPLS-2 Consortium report. We sought to independently replicate this in a large single-site highrisk cohort and identify baseline demographic and clinical predictors beyond current APS/APSS criteria. Method. We prospectively studied 200 participants meeting criteria for both the SIPS APSS and DSM-5 APS. SIPS scores, demographics, family history of psychosis, DSM Axis-I diagnoses, schizotypy and social and role functioning were assessed at baseline, with follow-up every 3 months for 2 years. Results. The conversion rate was 30% (n = 60), or 37.7% excluding participants who were followed under 2 years. This rate was stable across time. Conversion time averaged 7.97 months for 60% who developed schizophrenia and 15.68 for other psychoses. Mean conversion age was 20.3 for males and 23.5 for females. Attenuated odd ideas and thought disorder appear to be the positive symptoms which best predict psychosis in a logistic regression. Total negative symptom score, Asian/Pacific Islander and Black/African-American race were also predictive. As no Axis-I diagnosis or schizotypy predicted conversion, the APS is supported as a distinct syndrome. In addition, cannabis use disorder did not increase risk of conversion to psychosis. Conclusions. NAPLS SIPS findings were replicated while controlling for clinical and demographic factors, strongly supporting the validity of the SIPS APSS and DSM-5 APS diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Petrographic analysis of 49 sediments and 63 Neolithic ceramics from eight sites of Estremadura and six sites of the Algarve of central and southern Portugal, respectively, discerned distinct production technologies for each area. Raw materials available near archaeological sites were utilized. Fabrics that do not correspond to regionally available materials, however, indicate imports or migration. This suggests the existence of bidirectional maritime routes rather than south-north only, as predicted in current models of the neolithization of coastal Portugal. Seven ceramics and seven sediments were selected for elemental analysis. The results supported the patterns in the petrographic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasound scans were used to image pathological features in sea turtles. Scans were carried out in 19 loggerhead sea turtles, weighing from 2 to 21 kg, during the course of clinical examinations using 3.5 and 7.5 MHz sector transducers. The examination was performed after placing turtles in dorsal recumbency. Turtles were manually restrained and, in order to find the most suitable acoustic windows, were held down either by their heads (left and right cervicobrachial windows), front flippers (left and right axillary windows) or back flippers (left and right prefemoral and postfemoral windows). The right and left cervicobrachial windows allowed visualisation of the liver and gallbladder; the stomach was localised through the left prefemoral acoustic window; the intestinal loops were observed through the left and right prefemoral acoustic windows; the bladder was identified through both prefemoral acoustic windows. The pathological findings were as follows: idiopathic ileus, an intestinal linear foreign body and smooth muscle hypertrophy, presence of calculi and sediment in the gallbladder. These results highlight the importance of ultrasound examination along with clinical examination in sea turtles for the evaluation of coelomic pathologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen (EBNA)-1 promotes the accumulation of chromosomal aberrations in malignant B cells by inducing oxidative stress. Here we report that this phenotype is associated with telomere dysfunction. Stable or conditional expression of EBNA1 induced telomere abnormalities including loss or gain of telomere signals, telomere fusion and heterogeneous length of telomeres. This was accompanied by the accumulation of extrachromosomal telomeres, telomere dysfunction-induced foci (TIFs) containing phosphorylated histone H2AX and the DNA damage response protein 53BP1, telomere-associated promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies (APBs), telomeric-sister chromatid exchanges and displacement of the shelterin protein TRF2. The induction of TIFs and APBs was inhibited by treatment with scavengers of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that also promoted the relocalization of TRF2 at telomeres. These findings highlight a novel mechanism by which EBNA1 may promote malignant transformation and tumor progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) are important for the immunological control of infections and tumours. Engagement of the T-cell receptor (TCR) with major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I/peptide complexes on antigen-presenting cells (APC) is the key interaction, which initiates the process of T-cell activation. Depending on the affinity of this interaction, different arrays of signalling pathways and functional outcomes can be activated in the specific T cells. Molecular alterations in the peptide bound to the MHC class I can lead to a lower affinity of the MHC:TCR interaction resulting in incomplete or qualitatively different T-cell responses. Altered peptide ligands (APL) exhibiting such activity are referred to as partial agonists and often occur naturally through genetic instability, which affects T-cell epitopes derived from rapidly mutating viruses or tumour-associated cellular antigens. Partial agonists are usually viewed as peptide variants, which escape efficient CTL recognition. Our recent data suggest that APL can not only trigger incomplete activation but also induce and modulate intrinsic T-cell programmes leading to the shut-off of specific CTL responses. This APL-induced suppression appears to be more prominent in the absence of immunological help, suggesting that under conditions of immune deregulation APL may actively inhibit CTL responses against infectious agents or tumours. In this review, we discuss experimental data supporting this model and possible role of APL-induced immunosuppression in different pathological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty-seven dogs infected naturally with Leishmania infantum were used in a randomised controlled trial to compare the clinical and parasitological efficacy of an oral treatment with a combination of metronidazole and spiramycin (13 dogs) with the efficacy of conventional treatment with meglumine antimonate and allopurinol (14 dogs) as controls. In the test group one dog had to be withdrawn from the treatment because it developed pemphigus foliaceus; 10 of the dogs were clinically responsive but none was cured parasitologically. In the control group four dogs were withdrawn from the treatment because of side effects; eight of the dogs were clinically responsive but none was cured parasitologically. The control group showed signs of improvement after an average of 30 days, whereas the test group did not show signs of improvement until after an average of 45 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B lymphoblast cells were immortalized by Infection with a v- and v- containing recombinant retrovirus. The Immortalized B cells do not require exogenous growth factors or mitogens for growth. These cells express characteristic mature B cell phenotypic markers including IgM and IgD. Northern blot analysis detected μ and δ mRNA, and Southern blot analysis revealed rearrangements of Ig genes but not TCR genes In these cells. The Immortalized B cells were found to respond to B cell mitogens by proliferation and IgM secretion, and to respond to IL-4 by an Increase in la expression. Furthermore, they were found to differentiate to secrete IgM and to switch to lgG1 production following interaction with Staphylococcal enterotoxin B-activated T2 cells. These cell lines are thus valuable tools for analyzing the molecular events involved In B lymphocyte growth and differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]